Too Late
by Sweet Epiphany
Summary: I waited for years for him to pour his heart out to me. But Finally 3 years later I can't find the strength to let him back into my life the way I've always dreamed...read/review
1. Chapter 1

I tear my eyes away from him hiding my tears. How could this have happened? We made a choice to forget each other in that way. True, we never gave a fighting chance to what we could have had. I look back thinking that we could have made it together and been happy. But we chose to be apart and ignore these feelings to keep a hold of friendships.

**FLASHBACK**

_My eyes stung with tears. I lay in the cot wishing Ron back to us. It's no hope though I know. Harry walks into the tent knowing that I have quit crying._

_"Hey" he says no more then above a whisper. As he sits down next to me I place my head on his shouldered as I breath deeply. He is such comfort to me sometimes I don't think he is real._

_"I can't dwell on this anymore. He left us and we're going to have to deal with it. I'm sorry for being a bother but can you blame me?"_

_"No not at all. I wish we could sit here and be mad and upset at him but we don't have that kind of time."_

_He puts his arm around me and hugs me tight. It has been no secret that we had a mutual attraction towards each other but the timing was never right. There was a time when I wanted to be with him more then anything. I knew that he wanted to be with me at that same point in our lives but things kept us apart. In the end it became too hard to be together with the world against us. I silently moved aside for Ginny to show him how she felt._

_"It's funny how we are so comfortable with each other." He says looking at me lovingly._

_"I know. You think that we could have made this work."_

_He sighs. I know that he is off to war in more ways then I. Also I know that I have to let him break free and walk his own path yet help him as much as possible._

_I look up at him seeing that he is watching me with those piercing green eyes. Those pools of green become a window to his soul. I know it was wrong but at the time there was nothing holding us back. I leaned up for a kiss wanting to feel all of him._

_For a while we stayed like this. Me in him arms forgetting the world. Slowly he laid me down on the bed and said quietly "you are all I will ever want."_

_Well into the night we shared each others bodies and souls. Both of us forgetting the world around us well aware that we could never be together. We shared the love we had for each other. Harry and I were not quite about our love this night. There was no doubt that we meant more to each other then just best friends. But with the weight of our responsibilities and the paths that we have chosen, we couldn't be together past this night._

_Morning came as we laid next to each other._

_"I love you. It hurts so much knowing we can't make this work."_

_I see a tear escape him. I hold him tight._

_"Maybe some day we can. But we have to keep it together for now. This is the way it has to be."_

_Silently we both give up on what we could have had. My heart breaks into pieces. I want to have hope for us but know there is none._

**FLASHBACK ENDS**

Here is where I find myself three years later. It was a cool summers night as Harry and I walked along the park. We began talking about the normal things, life, our partners Ron and Ginny and somehow his feelings of that night all spilled out.

"Hermione." I looked at those green eyes. They were screaming to me, capturing my very soul.

"That night in the tent, remember?

'Of course I do!' I say no words but nod.

"I can't be alone with you and not think about it. I still think of you in that way Hermione."

I stopped in my tracks. I would never guessing in a thousand years that he still felt more for me.

"I just cant help thinking that we could have been something. Don't get my wrong, I'm so happy with Ginny, but sometimes it feels like I could be happier with you."

"Oh Harry, it's not possible."

He sighs. I take his hand in mine showing comfort. I would never blame him for saying these words but they scare me. I feel the same from time to time. Sometimes I hate myself for letting him go. But at the time there was no choice, we had much more important things to deal with. Back then I wasn't even sure I would survive the war.

"What do you think? I mean if we went back to that time and actually gotten together do you think that we could have made it?

I thought hard about this for so long.

"The truth? I think we could have made it and still been together and happy. But I can't lie and say that I don't love Ron. He means everything to me. I guess those feelings for you just aren't there anymore." I'm lying.

Those feelings have never left. But to save myself and anyone else involved I must lie. The love for Ron I have is nothing compared to the love I had for Harry. It's crazy but from time to time feeling rush in so much that all I can do is cry myself to sleep. I feel that I cry because Harry is the one that got away. And now he is pouring out his heart, the one thing that for years I desperately wanted to hear. But in a way I got over the "what if" and began to live my life.

"Sometimes I can't control urges towards you. One minute I will be fine and then the next all I want is to hear your voice and to just be with you completely. I don't want to loose what I have with Ginny but I want you too."

I find this so hard to believe. It is so surreal that these words are coming out of his mouth.

"If things were not to work out with Ginny and I. I feel that it would end up you and me."

I'm shocked.

"Harry" I say slowly not wanting to hurt him but know that no matter what I will. "you can't have both. I'm sorry but what we had is over. I don't see a way for us to be together when we are committed to others. I know that you love Ginny with all your heart and I don't want to be your plan B, that hurts so much for you to even say it."

He tries to save himself.

"No Hermione, that's not what I meant..."

Cutting him, "don't explain it to me, I understand where you are coming from but really you know that it isn't me who you want to be with. Our time passed. We were stupid back then and should have tried harder to be together but we can't change what choices we made."

"I know. But there is so much I would like to change with you."

We continue walking into the night. The conversation ends there, nothing resolved. I feel that I cant even bring myself to talk about this any longer. Feelings for him are rushing back at an alarming rate and I want them to stop. I feel almost dirty for having impure thoughts about Harry at the movement. It feels wrong and as if I am betraying Ron just from having this one conversation. Though they are only words and now I know now how he truly feels for me.

We head back to Harry's flat.

"I'm sorry for brining this all up. But I can't keep it a secret anymore."

I feel that all I want him to do is stop talking. I can't hear this. All of my dreams involve him. I need him in my life in any way. I will settle for his best friend. As long as I'm with him.

"I have to get going. Work in the morning you see," I'm desperate to get away before I do anything I really would regret.

We exchange a hug and I quickly apperate home. In my living room I crumble to the couch in tears. I feel this is only the beginning. What have I gotten myself into?


	2. Chapter 2

Two years later...

Hermione examined her self in the mirror. Her makeup was done, her hair cascaded down her back in elegant curls the only thing missing was her heart warming smile. She sat in front of the vanity in her lavender dress trying to be happy for her best friend.

She closed her eyes telling her self that this was how it was supposed to be.

"Ms. Granger we shall be lining up the brides bridesmaids in 10 minutes." A voice said from behind.

"Yes Natalie." She never took her eyes off her reflection.

She knew that this day was going to be hard for her ever since the day when Ginny came to her almost bouncing out of her skin because Harry had finally proposed.

It had been nearly five years since the incident in the tent yet today Hermione couldn't shake it. Yes both Harry and Hermione had that conversation two years back discussing it but she still felt hollow. She loved her best friend yet she knew that she was not in love with him. She knew she was being selfish but wanted him to her self.

What they had that night was special. He was there for her that night as much as he has been there for her in every aspect of her life. She knew there was no future for them as a couple but she still felt the dull pang of being rejected.

Hermione couldn't help thinking that if the timing was right she would be the one walking down the aisle today. She was so happy for her two friends and knew that they would be very happy in the years to come. Even she had found love with Ron and knew that one day it would be their turn to walk down the long road to marriage.

Every now and then Hermione would think of what could have been with Harry, though never voicing it to him, other than that night. She knew that the paths that they were both on were the right ones. But she couldn't help this feeling that they could have made it.

Another knock on the door snapped her back to her senses.

"Hey can I have a quick second?" It was Harry.

"Yes of course." She said getting up "You look great. Congratulations again, I know the two of you will be so happy."

She leaned into a hug. He held her tight not wanting to let go. They finally broke the hug and he looked into her eyes, searching.

"I'm doing the right thing right?" He didn't break his gaze.

"Of course Harry. You know how I feel about all this. Don't worry about anything. The girl you are meant to be with is going to be waiting for you at the end of that aisle ."

He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek.

"You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. Hermione, I love you with all my heart, you know this. No matter what ever happens that night meant more to me then you will ever know."

His voice was just above a whisper at this point as he turned away from her.

"No one knows me the way you do. You have been there for everything and even Ginny knows that I love you more then a best friend should. But i assure her that though that is true I'm not in love with you."

Hermione couldn't lie, those last words were like a hot knife to her heart. But in all honesty she was not in love with him either.

"Harry, I love you too, forever as a friend, and as much more. You are everything I could have ever wanted in a friend, even a bit of heart ache. You're the one that got away."

Now her eyes threatened with tears. She grabbed onto his hand.

With a deep breath he turned around and pulled her into a hug.

This woman in his arms was the strongest women he would ever know. He respected her so much and if things were different maybe he could have been happy with her. But he knew that the feelings were not as they once were. Walking down that aisle he would be leaving the girl that got away forever in the back of his mind. The one woman that even in the darkest hour could show him the light. No matter how hard his life got he knew that even after all this he could turn to her.

"Still best friends?" He broke the hug.

"The best for friends" she giggled a bit.

"You look so amazing tonight."

"Well wait until you see your bride, she definitely puts us all to shame." Hermione smiled brightly.

She was truly happy for her friend.

Just then another knock at the door and Natalie was back.

"Time to get going! Hurry we don't want to keep the bride waiting now do we Mr. Potter."

Harry gave a nervous chuckle before stumbling towards the door. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. She knew that he was ready for this.

She soon followed him out the door as they parted he gave her a shaky smile and proceeded down the aisle.

Soon she was walking towards him In her lavender gown as maid of honor. She smiled warmly towards her best friend. He gave her a slight nod as she took he spot near him.

Soon all eyes were on the back church doors and as they were slowly opening to revile the bride Harry stole a glance at his best friend. She had tears of joy in her eyes and replayed to his glance with a slight smile and nod towards the door.

She watched him as her looked towards his bride. His chest filled with pride and a slight glare coved his eyes as tears were fighting to escape. Soon he couldn't hold back the smile that was waiting to be unleashed.

Hermione closed her eyes through most of the ceremony. Everything was resolved though she knew a part of her died with the "I do's"

Soon she was watching the happy couple exiting the church. She watched, with teary eyes, her man that got away pick up his new wife and spin her around before climbing into the limo.

With a sigh she proceeded to the church doors only to find her arm being tugged.

Within a moment she was bent over into a very deep kiss. Opening her eyes she gazed into the eyes of her boyfriend.

"I love you." Her whispered to her.

It was almost as if all her fears were washed away. Every doubt that she had melted into nothing and soon she was able to smile and laugh.

"I love you too Ron, forever."

They exited the church hand and hand ready to congratulate the newly weds.

A/N Felt that more was needed. Though I'm not sure how this came out. It was very spur of the moment. Any feedback is welcomed.


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